243/1
CONFIDENTIAL
PAY.
Mn Williamson J 22.00
1533A
BRITISH HIGH COMMISSION
(the most important points
CANBERRA
8 August 1979
have already been covered in telegram) Dang im. Cortaçzi has not seen)
HAH Cortazzi Esq CMG
DUSS
FCO
My dear Hugh,
Hick 243/1
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES: HONG KONG
1.
HKG D
(~th/summary records only):
Ps/tm. Blaker SEAD VSPD 23/8
18/8
The Chief Secretary to the Hongong Government, Sir Jack Cater, paid a most useful visit to Australia from 29 July to 7 August. Although he came to Canberra at the invitation of the Australian National University to address a public conference on Indo-Chinese refugees held on 30 and 31 July, he was able to use the Conference as a spring-board to put Hong Kong's case on the refugee problem to the Australian Government and public.
2. The Conference could hardly have been more timely, coming as it did only ten days after the Geneva Refugee Conference. It was addressed by senior officials of the Departments of Foreign Affairs and Immigration as well as by academic figures. As you will have seen from my telno 433 (not to all), Sir Jack Cater's contribution was significant and well nublicised. He gave a full and moving account of the problem affecting Hong Kong as well as the trials of the refugees themselves which added considerably to the knowledge, concern and compassion of many Australians.
CONFIDENTIAL
13.